1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image collation apparatus, and more particularly to a fingerprint comparing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in the conventional fingerprint comparing apparatus using an image collation apparatus of this sort, feature points such as a branch, point and cut (hereinafter referred to as "feature point(s)") are extracted from a fingerprint image obtained by means of an image pick-up device, and fingerprint collation is performed with reference to these feature points.
In other words, in the conventional fingerprint collation device, a fingerprint to be collated is incorporated in advance into a database with reference to, for example, feature points and their coordinates. A fingerprint image to be collated is subjected to image processing to extract feature points. Then, the database is accessed with reference to the extracted featured points, and the fingerprint is collated according to the existence or absence of corresponding feature points.
The conventional way of fingerprint collation has the disadvantage that the processing takes a long time. If finger collation can be carried out reliably in a short period of time, the fingerprint collation apparatus can become more convenient and useful.
A conceivable solution to this problem is to cut a linear image out of the fingerprint to be collated, and displace the cut-out linear image sequentially over the reference fingerprint image which has been incorporated into a database to detect the result of comparison. This method, however, takes a long time to process the detected result of comparison, and accordingly involves inadequacy in practical use.
The present invention has been undertaken in view of these problems, and is intended to propose an image collating apparatus which is capable of judging simply and reliably whether or not a given image of fingerprint or the like coincides with a reference image.